A car bomb explosion in the Afghan capital, Kabul has killed at least 10 people and wounded 20 more.

Ambulances raced the wounded to Kabul hospitals as police and army units sealed of roads leading to embassies and military installations following the blast.

Witnesses say a small parcel bomb placed on a bicycle exploded first, drawing crowds into a busy intersection in front of Afghanistan's Ministry of Information and Culture. Then, they say a much larger bomb placed in a taxi exploded, causing a large number of casualties and creating panic on one of Kabul's busiest streets.

The blast is the latest of several explosions that have rocked Kabul and other Afghan cities in recent weeks. But those explosions were minor causing few injuries or deaths.

A spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force that is responsible for helping to maintain security in the capital, says this attack goes well beyond previous bombings and is being seriously investigated.